diff --git a/binding/osfm-screen-binding.cpp b/binding/osfm-screen-binding.cpp
index 43791207d..11b911d03 100644
--- a/binding/osfm-screen-binding.cpp
+++ b/binding/osfm-screen-binding.cpp
@@ -339,6 +339,9 @@ RB_METHOD(monitorWindowInit) {
   int w = NUM2INT(vw);
   int h = NUM2INT(vh);
 
+  if (w < 1 || h < 1)
+    rb_raise(rb_eArgError, "Invalid window size");
+
   const char* name = " ";
   unsigned int flags = SDL_WINDOW_OPENGL | SDL_WINDOW_UTILITY | SDL_WINDOW_BORDERLESS | SDL_WINDOW_TRANSPARENT;
   if (!NIL_P(kwargs)) {
@@ -395,11 +398,11 @@ RB_METHOD(monitorWindowResize) {
   int w, h;
   rb_get_args(argc, argv, "ii", &w, &h RB_ARG_END);
 
-  window->scene.resize(w, h);
+  if (w < 1 || h < 1)
+    rb_raise(rb_eArgError, "Invalid window size");
 
   SDL_SetWindowSize(window->window, w, h);
-
-  GFX_UNLOCK;
+  window->scene.resize(w, h);
 
   return Qnil;
 }
diff --git a/src/eventthread.cpp b/src/eventthread.cpp
index 944d3b7b5..0fff18ead 100644
--- a/src/eventthread.cpp
+++ b/src/eventthread.cpp
@@ -113,6 +113,7 @@ enum
     REQUEST_SETTINGS,
     REQUEST_NEW_WINDOW,
     REQUEST_DESTROY_WINDOW,
+    REQUEST_WINDOW_VISIBLE,
     
     UPDATE_FPS,
     UPDATE_SCREEN_RECT,
@@ -615,6 +616,15 @@ void EventThread::process(RGSSThreadData &rtData)
                         SDL_DestroyWindow(static_cast<SDL_Window*>(event.user.data1));
                         break;
                     }
+                    case REQUEST_WINDOW_VISIBLE:
+                    {
+                        SDL_Window *window = static_cast<SDL_Window*>(event.user.data1);
+                        if (event.user.data2)
+                            SDL_ShowWindow(window);
+                        else
+                            SDL_HideWindow(window);
+                        break;
+                    }
                         
                     case UPDATE_FPS :
                         if (rtData.config.printFPS)
@@ -869,9 +879,23 @@ SDL_Window *EventThread::requestNewWindow(const CreateWindowArgs *args)
     new_window = nullptr; // reset 
     SDL_PushEvent(&event);
     while (!new_window)
-        SDL_Delay(1);
+        // we want to delay ~0.1ms
+        // ideally the delay should be long enough that the window is created in one loop, 
+        // but short enough that we aren't waiting for a long time after the window is created
+        SDL_DelayNS(10000);
     return (SDL_Window*) new_window;
 }
+
+void EventThread::requestWindowVisible(SDL_Window *window, bool visible)
+{
+    SDL_Event event;
+    event.type = usrIdStart + REQUEST_WINDOW_VISIBLE;
+    event.user.data1 = window;
+    event.user.data2 = (void*) visible;
+
+    SDL_PushEvent(&event);
+}
+
 void EventThread::destroySDLWindow(SDL_Window *window)
 {
     SDL_Event event;
diff --git a/src/eventthread.h b/src/eventthread.h
index dec253d25..349550072 100644
--- a/src/eventthread.h
+++ b/src/eventthread.h
@@ -104,18 +104,19 @@ class EventThread
 	// get random freezes without doing this on the event thread
 	SDL_Window* requestNewWindow(const CreateWindowArgs *args);
 	void destroySDLWindow(SDL_Window *window);
+	void requestWindowVisible(SDL_Window *window, bool visible);
     
-    void requestTextInputMode(bool mode);
-    
-    void requestSettingsMenu();
+  void requestTextInputMode(bool mode);
+  
+  void requestSettingsMenu();
 
 	void requestTerminate();
 
 	bool getFullscreen() const;
 	bool getShowCursor() const;
-    bool getControllerConnected() const;
-    
-    SDL_Gamepad *controller() const;
+  bool getControllerConnected() const;
+  
+  SDL_Gamepad *controller() const;
 
 	void showMessageBox(const char *body, int flags = 0);
 
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index fafc2a950..7a879d268 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -574,8 +574,10 @@ static SDL_GLContext initGL(SDL_Window *win, Config &conf,
 
   printGLInfo();
 
-  bool vsync = conf.vsync || conf.syncToRefreshrate;
-  SDL_GL_SetSwapInterval(vsync ? 1 : 0);
+  //bool vsync = conf.vsync || conf.syncToRefreshrate;
+  // SDL_GL_SetSwapInterval(vsync ? 1 : 0);
+  // For various reasons, we don't want vsync. So, we just force it off for now.
+  SDL_GL_SetSwapInterval(0);
 
   // GLDebugLogger dLogger;
   return glCtx;